8 days
Listed: 9/20/2012
In Contract: 9/28/2012
Sold: 10/30/2012
When I first met Patrick and Masami (not real names) at their home, there were 10 other houses for sale in the sub-division. Seven of them were on the market for 2-7 months. I showed two houses which their home would be competing against once they list theirs. That experience gave them an idea of practical listing price and what needs to be done to have potential buyers say “Wow!” when they walk into their house.
Initial Price Positioning
According to a CMA that I ran, there was a similar house sold in June for $188,900 in the same sub-division. It was originally listed for $192,900 and took it 39 days to sell at the price. We decided to list the house for $188,900. However, Patrick and Masami were concerned that a same size new build house was listed for $184,900 and it had been on market for over 4 months.
Minor repair and Staging
The new build was empty and did not give a feel of “home”. Also, none of the “For Sale” houses in the area had the kitchen updated. The plan was to give an outstanding “Wow!” look to the kitchen and make potential buyers feel right at home when they walk in. We called in a contractor, Scott Zimmer(614-769-2074) to brighten the kitchen up with smaller expense and to fix the basement wall. Katy Fineman-Jones from My English Touch, Ltd. (www.MyEnglishTouch.com)came in to stage the house.
Patrick and Masami still suggested me to drop the listing price by a few thousand dollars. So I suggested them back to buy new stainless steel kitchen appliances for the price they were willing to give up.
And… look what happened 8 days later… In Contract at 99.25% of their asking price!!!
【Comment from Akiko】
Strategy is different between homes, but you always have to know your enemy (competition) and do a little homework before you list your house. If you have a friend or family member who would love to sell their home in 30 days for their asking price, please feel free to share a story or two from this site. I’d be happy to help them, too!
【Comment from Masami and Patrick】
Received the comment below by email from Masami in Japanese and I translated it into English.
今回の物件の売却、購入に関しては、亜希子さんはベストを尽くして頂きました。それが、しっかりと結果に反映されていると思います。メール、電話の対応も迅速です。亜希子さんが私たちが望む結果を出す為に何が必要なのか明確にアドバイスを色々して頂きました。
Akiko did her best work on the sales of our home and purchase of our new home. It is reflected in the results. Her response by email or phone is very quick. She precisely advised us in various occasions what needs to take place in order to bring the result we wanted.
私たちの物件も予想もしていなかったスピードで売れ、主人も私も心から喜べる新居に越す事が出来ました。この売却から新居の引き渡しまでの期間がわずか４週間の間でしたが、亜希子さんが、銀行、ステージング、工事のチームをうまくまとめて下さって、とてもスムーズに進みました。
Our house got sold at the speed that my husband and I never expected. We were also able to move into a house that we love. It took only four weeks from the listing of the house to the closing of both houses. It all went smoothly because Akiko coordinated the team of a lender, stager, and contractor.
ステージング、工事の業者の方も、亜希子さんの為ならと腕を振るってくれ、亜希子さんのクライアントだったからこそ、銀行の方にも私たちの書類処理を特別に優先して頂いた様です。他のリアルターの方だったら、この短期間で、これだけの結果は出せなかったのではないかと思います。
The stager and contractor did especially great work and Akiko’s lender put us ahead from the other clients (in order for us to close quicker). I feel we received special treatment from them because we were Akiko’s client. I do not believe any other person could have brought these great results in such a short time.
（キッチンその他に補修工事を入れ、ステージングをしたことに関して
About remodeling/repair work and staging）
出費に関しては、お金を出した価値はあったと思える結果が出ました。また将来、家を売るとするならば、同じ様にステージング、補修工事すると思います。
From the result we got, it was well worth spending the money (on staging and updating). If we sell our house in the future, we will do the repair and staging again.
亜希子さんが提案されていた通り、今のマーケットに合った正しい提示価格に加え、アップグレードされたキッチンは買手の目を引き、すぐに見学の依頼が始めの１週間以内で３件来ました。私たちよりも数日先に、別のブローカーを通してお隣の家も売りに出たのですが、始めの２ヶ月で（私たちが引越しをするまでしか分かりませんが。）見学者が２件で、買い手がつかずの状況でした。そちらは、バスルームは改築されていたのですが、キッチンのアプライアンスは古いままで、ステージングもされていませんでした。始めは、お隣のお家と競争になってどうしようと心配していたのですが、その心配も無用だった様です。
As Akiko suggested to us, the proper price positioning and upgraded kitchen caught the buyer’s eyes. Three showing appointments came in a matter of week. (The offer came in from the first showing!) Our next door neighbor listed their house before us. I know they only had two showings in the first two months. Their bathroom was updated, but kitchen appliances were old. Their house was not staged, either. Initially, we were concerned about competition, but we realized that there was no reason to worry.
（ローンの返済額があったので、これ以下は譲れないという売値の目標があったことに関して
Listing Price）
金額に関しては、亜希子さんと一緒に同じ地区の売り物件を見学した後、亜希子さんの提案された額を検討した後決めました。このように、競争物件を一緒に見学をしてくれるリアルターさんは、今まで聞いた事ありませんでした。実際の売却価格も、提示価格に限りなく近い価格でしたので、とても満足しています。
Akiko took us to similar “for sale” houses in the area. I have never heard of any realtor taking sellers to their competing “for sale” houses. Seeing is believing. After that tour, we decided to list the house for the price that Akiko suggested. We are very happy to be able to sell our house for the price which was very close to our original offering price.
（売りに出して８日で提示価格の99.25%の売値で契約に入ったことに関して
It went into contract in 8 days at 99.25% of original listing price.）
買い手との交渉中、値段を落として早く契約に入った方が良いのか？と私たちが迷っていた際、亜希子さんが、「値段を落とさなくて良いです。この家は、それだけの価値があります！」とはっきりと電話で仰ってくれました。その直後、買い手さんがこちらのカウンターオファーの価格に合意しました。これも、亜希子さんの経験を生かした交渉力があってのものだと思います。
In the negotiation process, we thought about agreeing to a lower price offered by the buyers. Akiko said, “The CMA shows that this house is worth the listing price and you just put the house on the market.” Immediately after that conversation, the buyers agreed to our price and a signed contract was delivered. That successful negotiation is result of Akiko’s experience and skills.
レイノルズバーグでは、銀行所有の物件も多く、売りに出した物件が、半年、１年、それ以上と残るのが当たり前の地区でしたので、始めは主人も私も弱気でした。最初に亜希子さんにお会いした時に、必ず売れます！と仰ってくれて、本当にその通りになりました。
In Reynoldsburg, there are many REO (Bank-owned) properties and in our area, it was common that houses stay on the market for 6 months to even over a year. So my husband and I were not confident on our home sale when we initially met Akiko. However, she told us right away that the house could be sold. We are very glad that her word came true.
以上、私どもの感想を書かせて頂きました。
リアルターを選択される際の、参考になればと思います。
This is our experience of sale and purchase of our two houses. If this helps you when you are deciding who to represent you, that would be our pleasure.
雅美
Masami
